Translational Psychiatry
February 14, 2026
Michael H Sutherland, Christopher R. Nicholas, Richard C Lennertz et al.
The serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin induces neural plasticity and profoundly alters consciousness. The benzodiazepine midazolam blunts neural plasticity and induces conscious sedation and amnesia at low doses. In our recent open label pilot study, we administered oral psilocybin (25 mg) along with intravenous midazolam at doses allowing a full psychedelic experience while blunting memory...
Translational Psychiatry
September 12, 2024
Christopher R. Nicholas, Matthew I Banks, Richard C Lennertz et al.
10 citations
Aspects of the acute experience induced by the serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin predict symptomatic relief in multiple psychiatric disorders and improved well-being in healthy participants, but whether these therapeutic effects are immediate or are based on memories of the experience is unclear. To examine this, we co-administered psilocybin (25 mg) with the amnestic benzodiazepine midazolam...
Psychedelic Medicine
December 1, 2023
Julia Malicki, Amelia Baltes, Christopher R. Nicholas et al.
7 citations
Coadministration of psilocybin and buprenorphine was safely tolerated and did not demonstrate contraindicating effects vis-à-vis effectiveness of buprenorphine or the subjective effects of psilocybin. Challenges in feasibility led to modifications in the sample population and eligibility criteria and strategies to improve accessibility, minimize burden, and enhance overall...
JAMA
August 31, 2023
Charles L. Raison, Gerard Sanacora, Joshua Woolley et al.
493 citations
Importance Psilocybin shows promise as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Objective To evaluate the magnitude, timing, and durability of antidepressant effects and safety of a single dose of psilocybin in patients with MDD. Design, Setting, and Participants In this phase 2 trial conducted between December 2019 and June 2022 at 11 research sites in the US, participants were...
Clinical Pharmacology in Drug Development
April 6, 2020
Elyes Dahmane, Paul R. Hutson, Jogarao Gobburu
44 citations
Abstract Psilocybin is being developed for treating major depressive disorder. Psilocybin is readily dephosphorylated to psilocin upon absorption. The potential for psilocin proarrhythmic effect was assessed using a concentration‐QTc interval (C‐QTc) analysis from an open‐label single ascending dose study of psilocybin. Psilocybin doses ranged from 0.3 to 0.6 mg/kg. This trial showed a...
Psychiatry Research
January 2, 2020
Simon B. Goldberg, Brian T. Pace, Christopher R. Nicholas et al.
234 citations
The current meta-analysis examined the effects of psilocybin in combination with behavioral interventions on anxiety and depression in samples with elevated symptoms. Across four studies (one uncontrolled; three randomized, placebo-controlled; N = 117), within-group pre-post and pre-follow-up effects on anxiety and depression were large (Hedges' gs=1.16 to 1.47) and statistically significant....
Journal of Psychopharmacology
June 27, 2018
Christopher R. Nicholas, Kelsey M. Henriquez, Michele Gassman et al.
85 citations
Aim: The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between escalating higher doses of psilocybin and the potential psilocybin occasioned positive subjective effects. Methods: Healthy participants ( n=12) were given three escalating doses of oral psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg; 0.45 mg/kg; 0.6 mg/kg) or (18.8–36.6 mg; 27.1–54.0 mg; 36.3–59.2 mg) a minimum of four weeks apart in a...
Clinical Pharmacokinetics
March 28, 2017
Randall Brown, Christopher R. Nicholas, Nicholas V. Cozzi et al.
189 citations
IntroductionPsilocybin is a psychedelic tryptamine that has shown promise in recent clinical trials for the treatment of depression and substance use disorders. This open-label study of the pharmacokinetics of psilocybin was performed to describe the pharmacokinetics and safety profile of psilocybin in sequential, escalating oral doses of 0.3, 0.45, and 0.6 mg/kg in 12 healthy...